Steam electric creasing iron



June 17, 1952 J. H. ROTHERAINE 2,601,059

STEAM ELECTRIC CREASING IRON Filed Nov. 27, 1948 2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 5% ki/ II a if 25- Ml Fic .2

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Jerome H. Rmheruine.

E A T? ORNE 1.

June 1952 J. H. ROTHERAINE 2,601,059

STEAM ELECTRIC UREA-SING IRON Filed Nov. 27, 1948 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 l2I6 24 ii Fiq. p 27 INVENTOR. Jerome H. Rutheruine BY g ZTTORNE).

Patented June 17, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEAM ELECTRICCREASING IRON Application November 27, 1948, Serial No. 62,290

3 Claims.

My invention relates to a presser such as is used for creasing trousers,pleats in dresses, dress hems, hat brims, neckties, coat sleeves,childrens clothing, corduroy garments, and relates particularly to apresser which generates steam for improved operation.

Heretofore, small hand irons have been constructed for creasingtrousers, and provision has been made for heating the ironselectrically. In order to provide a lasting crease, the trousers shouldbe steamed, but with the irons of the prior art this was not possible,and the trousers had to be moistened by hand before ironing them.

It, therefore, is an object of my invention to provide a steam electricpresser which incorporates means for generating its own steam therebyobviating the necessity for separately moistening the edges of thearticle to be pressed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a steam electric presser ofthe character described which is light and compact, which may be carriedabout in ones traveling kit, and which heats rapidly.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of thecharacter described, that is easily and economically produced, which issturdy in construction, and which is highly efiicient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, my invention consists in thedetails of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fullyunderstood from the following description, when read in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top view of a steam electric presser embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a view taken along the lines 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. l is a top view of my invention in which the metal parts have beenremoved from the handle, thereby exposing the heating element.

Fig. 5 is a top view of the heating element receptacle and creaser.

Fig. 6 is a side View taken along the lines 6-45 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 'l is a top view of the lower handle member.

Fig. 8 is a sectional side elevation of the upper handle member whichcontains the steam chamber.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 10 is a sectional side View taken along the line l0-l0 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 11 is a sectional side elevation of my invention which is complete,except for the electric cord.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein similar reference charactersdesignate similar parts, I show an electric steam presser comprising ahandle, generally designated as A, an upper handle member, generallydesignated as B, a creasing member, generally designated as C, and alower handle member generally designated as D.

The handle A is made of a poor conductor of heat, such as wood orplastic, and is provided with an axial bore (not shown) for receiving atwo-conductor electric cord ID. The cord wires terminate in a loopheating element I2, comprising resistance wire coiled upon an asbestoscore within a sleeve of woven glass fiber. A pair of holes l3 aredrilled in the handle A to receive assembly bolts 15.

The heating element l2 rests within the open dish M of the creasingmember C, the flat bottom surface l6 of the dish constituting the upperpressing surface of the iron. A pair of mounting lugs l8 are providedwith holes 20 for assembling the creaser to the handle A. Several smallsteam holes 22 are drilled in the dish M a shown in Fig. 5 forconducting steam to the cloth to be creased. A substantially rectangularplate 24 is fastened at an acute angle to the surface lB by rivets 25,the plate constituting the lower pressing surface of the creaser. Thelower handle member D has one end 21 adapted to be bolted to the handleA, and is dished to receive and support the creasing plate 24, as shownin Fig. 11.

The upper handle member B is similar to the lower handle member D,except that a steam boiler 26 is constructed upon its upper surface.Water is added to the boiler through a fill vent 28 whose plug 29 may beunscrewed by using a coin or a screwdriver. A single hole 30 is locatedin the chamber bottom. This hole is approximately 0.005 inch indiameter. Owing to its surface tension, water will not leak through thisopening, but when the iron heats, steam is generated and a mixture ofwater and steam is forced through hole 30 into the lower chamber formedby the dish I4. The steam subsequently escapes through the ports 22 intothe material to be creased.

To use my presser the user adds a small quantity of water to the boilerand plugs the iron into any convenient electric outlet. In a short timethe presser generates steam, and the user then draws the trouser edge tobe creased through the narrow angle formed by the pressing surfacesthereby forming a sharp and lasting crease.

I claim as my invention:

1. An electric steam trouser creaser comprising a water reservoir, ahollow steam generating casing having a plurality of steam openingstherein, said water reservoir being located adjacent said hollow casingto serve as a covering for said hollow casing, a common wall between thewater reservoir and steam generating casing, said water reservoir havinga small water opening of capillary size leading to said hollow casing,said hollow casing with said steam openings therein serving as one sideof a trouser creaser, and a second plate attached at one end to saidhollow casing whereby said second plate serves as the other side of saidtrouser creaser.

An electric steam trouser creaser comprising a water reservoir, a hollowsteam generating casing having a plurality of openings in the casingthereof, a common wall between the water reservoir and steam generatingcasing and having a small opening therein, an electric coil within saidsteam generating casing as the heating unit, said opening in the waterreservoir leading to the interior of said hollow casing being ofcapillary size, said steam generating casing serving as one side of saidtrouser creaser, and a second plate adjacent said hollow casing wherebysaid second plate serves as the other side of said trouser creaser.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 2 wherein said steam generatingcoil comprises a resistance wire coil wound within a fibre glass sleeve.

JEROME H. ROTHERAINE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

